11 May 2016
Dear Applicant,
Re: Community & Volunteer Engagement Co-ordinator
Thank you for your interest in the above post.
Enclosed is a job pack containing the following:
o Welcome to Applicants
o Job Profile
o Policy on the Recruitment of Ex Offenders
o Guidelines for working with Young People and Vulnerable Adults
o Aims & Purposes of the YMCA
I have also enclosed an application form for your completion. Please be aware that the closing date for this vacancy is Thursday 26th May 2016 at 9am and the interview date is Wednesday 1st June 2016.
Please return email applications to or hard copies by hand or post to Human Resources, Reed House, 47 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2BE.
When completing the application form, make sure you refer to the requirements of the role as set out in the job profile, as short listing for interview rests on how well you meet these criteria.
We look forward to receiving your completed application. If you have not heard from us within 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application was not successful on this occasion.
YMCA DownsLink Group requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Yours faithfully,
Emily Whiter
Recruitment & HR Systems Co-ordinator
About Us
Thank you for your interest in this role and I hope you find this pack and our website answer your questions. You probably will have heard of YMCA, the largest and oldest youth charity in the world but you may not have heard about us. YMCA DownsLink Group (YMCA DLG) was formed in April 2014, bringing together Guildford and Sussex Central YMCAs into one organisation. So while we have a long heritage we are a young organisation and a new team of Chair and Chief Executive.
We believe that we do really interesting and valuable work. Children, young people and families are at the heart of our work with a particular focus on the needs of young people who find themselves on the fringes of society and need support. We provide a wide range of services including the provision of housing for some 513 people and providing them with support. Last year we made a difference to the lives of over 10,000 children & young people in a variety of ways.
We operate from locations across the South East with our Head Office in Hove. We are one of 125 YMCAs in the UK linked through YMCA England. As part of this federation of YMCAs, we are each an independent, self-governing charity and YMCA England supports us by giving us a national voice.
YMCA DLG has around 400 staff and 150 volunteers and our current turnover is £11.1m. On an annual basis, we collect £4.5m in rent; make over 350 lettings each year and deliver housing support contracts in excess of £2.5m. We also have a development programme with the HCA to bring into management a further 100 units of accommodation over the next 3 years.
Vision
Our vision is of an inclusive Christian movement transforming communities so that all young people can belong, contribute and thrive. You will need to demonstrate a commitment to our Christian aims, but do not have to be a practicing Christian. We value diversity in our staff team to reflect the people that we work with.
Values
We seek out – we actively look for opportunities to make a transformative impact on young lives in the communities where we work, and believe that every person is of equal value
We welcome – we offer people the space they need to feel secure, respected, heard and valued; and we always protect, trust, hope and persevere
We inspire – we strive to inspire each person we meet to realise their full potential in all they do
We speak out – we stand up for young people, speak out on issues that affect their lives, and help them to find confidence in their own voices
We support others – we are committed to the wellbeing of the communities we serve and believe in the positive benefit of participation, locally and in the wider world
Job Pack
Job Title / Community & Volunteer Engagement CoordinatorReporting to / Welfare and Engagement Manager
Service Area / Housing
Location / YMCA Horsham
Contract Type and Employment Period / Fixed term for 1 year
Part time – 30 hours per week
General hours Mon-Thurs, 9am-5pm.
Evening & Weekend work required as necessary.
Salary Band / C1
Job Purpose:
The post-holder will complement the work of our projects supporting vulnerable young people through the recruitment, training and support of adult volunteers/mentors from the local communities delivering the Positive Placements employment programme.
The role will additionally seek to build links and financial support from local stakeholders and businesses that lead on to greater opportunities for work experience, apprenticeships and employment for the young people that we support. This post is in partnership with Horsham District Council.
Responsibilities:
· To support the delivery of the Positive Placements Project and other volunteer based initiatives through recruiting and training adult volunteer mentors.
· To manage, support and supervise a caseload of trained mentors
· To facilitate a training programme for new volunteer mentors
· To assess the needs of young people referred to the projects; supporting mentors to develop action plans, set and review targets and coordinate the input of other service providers.
· To develop and maintain effective liaison / working relationships with all relevant agencies, including community groups, local Councils and businesses etc. to broker partnership, identify actions, responsibilities and contributions.
· To provide support to businesses in preparing for and supporting young people in work experience and apprenticeship placements.
· To maintain operational and monitoring systems as required by the project and provide any necessary data / information outputs
· To work collaboratively with members of the Learning and Engagement Team to support and facilitate additional projects.
· To work flexibly within the agreed number of hours to maintain levels of service provision including some evenings and weekend working
· To work with colleagues and support our services including supporting the work of the wider Learning and Engagement team across our geography.
· To work in partnership with YMCA England to support work placements and apprenticeships in their retail outlets.
General – project
· To ensure the safety of all users and young people attending the project by operating within agreed policies concerning health, safety and child protection
· To be involved in appropriate staff development and training
· To deliver high quality services consistently and in accordance with the requirements of the role
· To work constructively as part of a team supporting managers with team development and monitoring
· Ensuring that professional standards are maintained by volunteers and mentors
· To manage the recruitment and placement of volunteers
· To carry out any other tasks that may be required from time to time in accordance with the post holders capabilities
General – YMCA Downslink Group
· To support, promote and work in accordance with YMCA’s Aims and Purposes.
· To work within and actively promote equalities in accordance with YMCA DLG’s policies and procedures.
· To carry out from time to time any other appropriate duties as directed by the line manager to support and promote the work of YMCA DLG, in accordance with the post holder’s capabilities.
Nature and Scope:
The significant challenges of this role will be:
· To consistently deliver a professional service meeting funding goals and targets.
· To make the appropriate professional decisions in relation to policy and practice in relation to their caseload, service users and key working.
· To refer and alert the Project Manager of any potential risks in terms of safeguarding or other professional concerns.
· To refer and alert the Project Manager of any concerns relating to health and safety, failure to follow YMCA DLG policies and procedures and poor practice.
Person Specification
Knowledge, Job Related Skills, Qualifications & Experience:
Experience of recruiting and supporting volunteers / *
Demonstrable experience of working with young people in a relevant (formal or informal) role / *
Demonstrable understanding of the needs of unemployed young people / *
Experience of gathering, collating and presenting statistical information. / *
Experience of delivering training programmes / *
Experience and understanding of working in a partnership culture with businesses, community groups, schools, colleges, referral agencies etc / *
Skills & Abilities
Excellent motivation skills relevant to young people and volunteers / *
Excellent administrative, numeric and organisational skills / *
Word processing and basic computer literacy skills / *
Ability to work as part of a wider dispersed team extending beyond the Association / *
Excellent communication skills, verbal, interpersonal and written on all levels and according to need / *
Qualifications & Training
Relevant trainer or community work qualifications / *
Knowledge
An understanding of the role of work and learning within a supported housing project / *
Experience and understanding of motivating young people with support issues / *
A working knowledge of issues effecting young people including mental health substance misuse and low self esteem / *
An understanding of and an ability to adhere to professional boundaries / *
A working knowledge of work and learning opportunities available to young people within the local community / *
General
Able to work weekends and evenings as required / *
Car driver and owner / *
Key Competencies for this role
· Team working and Co-operation
The postholder will be expected to achieve and where possible exceed goals and objectives, demonstrating a co-operative and flexible attitude and being enthusiastic and responsive to new challenges.
· Communication Skills
Formal verbal and written skills. Develop and maintain effective working relationships both internally and externally.
· Customer Focus
Actively seek feedback from customers and service users, making suggestions to improve services to meet customer needs. Being responsive, friendly and approachable.
· Planning and Organising Activities
Organisation and prioritisation of their own tasks and activities, and to contribute to team discussion and planning.
· Creativity/Adaptability
To contribute fresh ideas and ways of working in the team and being responsive to the needs of whole team issues and ways of working.
· Integrity and Ethical Behaviour
Understand the Christian aims and purposes of the YMCA, the values of the organisation including our commitment to equality and diversity, the nature of our activities and programmes and commitment to improving the lives of young people, children and families.
· Self Management
The postholder will be expected to set a good example of excellence in their day to day conduct at work, understanding their own strengths and weaknesses and being committed to continually improving their own professional development.
Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders:
YMCA DownsLink Group actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, with the right mix of talent, skills and potential, and applications are welcome from a wide range of candidates.
We undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any applicant on the basis of a criminal record or other information revealed. Criminal records and other information will be taken into account for recruitment purposes only when they are relevant.
We select all candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience. We ask all applicants called for interview to provide details of their criminal record. Depending on the nature of the position applied for, YMCA DownsLink Group may request details of your entire criminal record or only of ‘unspent’ convictions as defined in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
We request that this information is sent under separate, confidential cover to a designated person within YMCA DownsLink Group and we guarantee that this information is only seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process. We would point out that for the successful candidate, this information will be verified by requesting a Disclosure[1] statement from the Disclosure and Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed.
Failure to reveal information that is relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment or subsequent dismissal.
We ensure that all those in YMCA DownsLink Group who are involved in the recruitment process have been suitably trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences. We also ensure that they have received appropriate guidance and training in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of ex offenders e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
At interview, or in separate discussion, we ensure that an open and measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other matters that might be relevant to the position.
For those positions where a Disclosure is required, application forms and guidance notes will contain a statement that a Disclosure will be requested in the event of the candidate being made a conditional offer of employment.
We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a Disclosure with the person seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.
Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with YMCA DownsLink Group. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of any offences. However, as the nature of the YMCA DownsLink Group’s work brings its employees & volunteers into contact with young people (those under 18 years old) and/or vulnerable adults, a criminal record or other information which makes an application unacceptable for a position of trust will render the applicant unsuitable.
As an organisation using the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure service to assess applicants’ suitability for positions of trust, this policy complies with the DBS Code of Practice.
Declaration of Criminal Background & Guidelines for Working with Young People and/or Vulnerable Adults
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 sets out to help people who have been convicted of a criminal offence and have not been convicted again in a specified period. This period is known as a rehabilitation period. Once a rehabilitation period has expired and no further offending has taken place, a conviction is considered to be ‘spent’. Once a conviction is spent, the convicted person does not have to reveal it or admit its existence in most circumstances.